Bioavailability Of Turmeric: Why It's So Important
Updated on Nov 26, 2024
Medically reviewed by Dr Pedram Kordrostami— Written by Luat Duong
Updated on Nov 26, 2024
Table of contents
Turmeric has been used as a traditional remedy for centuries. Also known as the "golden spice", turmeric has been widely studied in areas such as joint and brain health.
And the active ingredient in turmeric called curcumin is thought to possess the majority of its health benefits. Curcumin is a polyphenol which is a type of antioxidant.
But did you know that curcumin is very poorly absorbed from your gut?
In fact, studies have shown that only between 1-6% of curcumin is absorbed from turmeric powder.
In other words, curcumin has very poor bioavailability. This means that only a fraction of the beneficial part of turmeric is ever absorbed.
In this article, we're going to take a closer look at the problems associated with the bioavailability of turmeric and how it has a massive impact on the potential benefit of supplements.
